Shelf structure comprising a plurality of mutually meshing elements

ABSTRACT

A SHELF STRUCTURE IS PROVIDED, WHICH CAN BE ASSEMBLED STARTING FROM A NUMBER OF PREFABRICATED COMPONENT PARTS SO AS TO MAKE UP A PARALLELEPIPEDAL BODY. ALL THE COMPONENT PARTS ARE MUTUALLY ENGAGED BY FRICTIONAL FORCES DEVELOPED IN A NUMBER OF RIB-GROOVE AND/OR MORTISE TENON JOINTS. THE CONSTRUCTIONAL ARRANGEMENT DISCLOSED HEREIN LENDS ITSELF WELL TO MANUFACTURING THE SEVERAL COMPONENT   PARTS WITH A PLASTIC MATERIAL, PREFERABLY BY INJECTION MOULDING.

March 2, 1971 E. MARI I SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY MESHING ELEMENTS Filed Dec. 19. 1968 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. MARI SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF March 2, 1971 MUTUALLY MESHING ELEMENTS 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 19, 1968 E. MARI March 2, v

MUTUALLY MESHING ELEMENTS 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed De. 19, 1968 1 Q 8 i 4% :17 m N N U H P I 7 3 I w? 4 8 2 .((L a I 8 1| I I 2 5 N w z 6 w 0 5 mm March 2, 1971 E. MARI SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY MESHING ELEMENTS 9 Sheets-Sheet 4.

FiledDec, 19, 1968 III I .11 III [Jill/7| March 2, 1971 5 MAR SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY MESHING ELEMENTS Filed Dad. 19 .1968

9 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 2, 1971 Filed Dec. 19'. 1968 SHELF STRUC MUT E CO LY M E. MARI MPRISING A PLURALITY OF ESHING ELEMENTS 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 j,I [IUIJEIEIUDDDQUUIIUI @105mm;

March 2, 1971 Y j 3,567,300

SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY MESHING ELEMENTS Filed Dec. 19. 1968 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 E. MARI March 2, 1971 Filed Dec. 19, 1968 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 l I I I I I I I l I l I I I Y I I l I l I I I I A I a l l I r l l 0 1 I b l I u I l l I I l n v United States Patent 3,567,300 SHELF STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PLURALITY 0F MUTUALLY MESHIN G ELEMENTS Enzo Mari, P.zale Baracca 10, Milan, Italy Filed Dec. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 785,305 Claims priority, appligcationtaly, Dec. 30, 1967,

Int. Cl. A47b 47(04; A47f /00 11.5. CI. 312--257 8 'Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to shelf structure comprising a plurality of mutually meshing elements and having a generally parallelepipedal outline, wherein the component parts are mutually engaged with a mortise and tenon type joint, these members being manufactured by moulding a plastic material.

In the past, many types of dismemberable shelf structures have been manufactured, which were adapted for the most varied uses and were made of wood or metal. These materials involved considerably long and cumbersome manufacturing and assembling steps.

In the particular case of dismemberable shelf structures, the use of fixtures of a particular kind which make the assembling operation intricate and, sometimes, require the intervention of specially trained workers.

The present invention provides for a shelf structure made of assemblable elements and essentially comprising four elements which are coplanar two by two and concur towards a single edge, means for the mutual engagement of said four elements being catered for in correspondence with said edge. More particularly, an object of the present invention is to provide a shelf structure composed by pieces or elements having engaging portions which are designed so as to permit their assemblage without resorting to screws, nails or other fastening devices, but only by a mortise and tenon type joint. Another object of the present invention is to permit the manufacture of said pieces or panels with a plastic material, by the conventional moulding techniques, more particularly by injection moulding. A further object is to provide for the formation of units having a parallelepipedal structure, which are adapted to be assembled in a horziontal and/ or vertical direction, a robust shelf structure being thus obtained which is so versatile as to be adapted to a number of uses, such as for bookshops, filing cabinets, shop windows and the like. Yet another object is to provide a shelf structure which can be directly assembled by the user without the aid of tools and in a number of various shapes and sizes. A quite particular advantage of this invention resides in that the hollow space within which the shelf structure is contained has both side and base walls de prived of any projections and edges.

The objects and advantages of the scaffolding according to the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, having an illustrative and nonlimiting purpose, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a parallelepiped which can be assembled with the assemblable boards according to the present invention, and shows the assembled unit.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 which shows a step of the assembling process in the horizontal direction of two parallelepipeds of the kind of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view, partly in section, taken along the line VV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the horizontal tier of the assemblable parallelepiped of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII- VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along lines IXIX of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the sidewall of the assemblable parallelepiped of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI--XI of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side view along the line XII--XII of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of two sidewalls of the kind shown in FIG. 10, matched together as will be described hereinafter, generally along the lines XIIIXIII of FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the back element of the assemblable parallelepiped of FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line XV-- XV of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along the line XVI- XVI of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of a supporting foot of the assemblable parallelepiped of FIG. 1,

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the foot of FIG. 17, and

FIG. 19 is a plan view of the resting block for the foot shown in FIG. 17.

Having now reference to FIG. 1, an assemblable parallelepiped is shown, generally indicated at 20, which forms the complete assemblage member for shelf structures according to the present invention.

The basic elements which take up the parallelepiped 20 are as follows:

a flat 21 which forms also the covering board. a sidewall 22 formed by two boards 23.

a black board 24, and

a supporting foot 25.

Considering now FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the flat 21 is shown, which has a planar and smooth upper face 26 and a lower face 27 from which protrude, at preselected regular intervals, ribs 28 which are equal and parallel to one another, except the first, indicated at 28a, which fulfils a requirement to be specified hereinafter. On the edge away of that adjacent to the rib 28:: two grooves are formed, 29 and 30, respectively, of which the former (29) is open at the side of face 26, and the latter (30) is open at the side of face 27.

The other two edges of the flat 21 are terminated by a plurality of matching elements, individually indicated by 31. As clearly pictured in FIGS. 7 and 8, the matching elements 31 have an H-shape in vertical section and a double T-shape in horizontal section, so as to provide matching seatings in the manner which will be discussed hereinafter.

More particular, said matching elements 31 are divided by a web 32 both horizontally and vertically. It will be observed in FIG. 7 that on the two opposite edges of I the flat 21 the matching elements 31 are arranged in staggered relationship with respect to planes parallel to the ribs 28.

Considering now the FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13, the element or sidewall 22, as outlined above, is formed by two identical boards 23. Each board 23 comprises a face 33, intended to remain exposed to the outside upon assemblage and an inner face 34, having ribs 35 from whose central portion a locking tooth 36 projects, for a purpose to be specified later.

Along the edges perpendicular to the ribs 35, the board 23 has a plurality of projections 37, separated by empty spaces 38 having a width equal to the thickness of the web portion 32 of the matching elements 31.

Considering now FIG. 13, the sidewall 22 consists of two boards 23 which are placed side by side with the ribs 35 in confronting relationship. By causing the two boards to slide one relatively to the other, it can be readily appreciated how the locking teeth 36 of the one board comes into engagement with the lateral surface of the rib 35 of the other board, and vice versa, a mutual interlock being thus achieved. As a result, the projections 35 are matching and contact one another along a plane 39 of mutual contact between the locking teeth 36 of the two boards 23.

Observing now FIGS. 14, and 16 the back board or back piece 24 is shown, which has a planar surface 40. This surface, upon assembling the parallelepiped 20, closes the rear portion of the inner cavity thereof, and

an outer face 41 from which two mutually perpendicular ribs 42 and 43 are projecting: these ribs are parallel to adjoining edges or sides of the board 24, respectively.

In FIG. 15 it is seen that the top and bottom edges of the board 24, parallel to the rib 42, are terminated by two ribs 44 and 45, lying on two planes which are parallel to one another and also to the plane of the board 24 and are in staggered relationship with respect to one another, correspondingly to the stagger of the grooves formed in the flat 21, wherein they are intended to be lodged.

The other two edges of the board 24, parallel to the rib 43, are terminated by a flanged extension, having a U-shape and an opening adapted to house the thickness of the boards 22 along the edges of the latter which are perpendicular to the respective ribs 35.

Considering now FIGS. 17, 18 and 19, the assemblable parallelepiped of FIG. 1 has four feet or stands which are hollow and have an approximately elliptical cross-section which flares towards the bottom.

The portion at which the support 25 engages the flat 21 comprises an upper planar portion 46 from which jut the two edge raised portions 47, whereas protrusions 48 project centrally, which have a shape and a size exactly matching the projections 37 of the sidewall 22.

In its lower portion, the supporting foot 25 is open and in the opening a planar closure member 49 can be housed, from which ribs 50 are caused to project, which are adapted to engage with a slight friction the hollow supporting foot 25.

Considering now FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the details of the tenon and mortise joint of the several elements described above are shown. More particularly, FIG. 3 clearly shows the details of the union between the flats 21 and the sidewalls 22.

As viewed in the upper cavity of the H of the matching elements 31, the matched projections 37 of the two boards 23 (making up each sidewall 22) find their snugly fitting seat, whereas, in the lower cavities of the H a seat can be provided for the projections 37 of an underlying sidewall. As an alternative, at the base of the shelf structure, the projections 48 of the supporting feet 25 can find their seat. It is obvious that, as seen in the upper portion of FIG. 3, it is possible to arrange any desired number of fiats 21, one above the other, which can be interconnected by pairs of sidewalls 22. As viewed in FIG. 4, the flats 21 are connected in their rear portion through 4 the back board 24 and, more exactly, by the engagement of the ribs 44 and 45 with said grooves 29 and 30 of the flats 21 and, exactly, of the rib 44 with the top open groove 29 of the base flat 21 of the parallelepiped, and of the rib 45 with the bottom open groove 30 of the overlying flat 21.

As viewed in FIG. 3, the back board 24 connects also the sidewalls 22, by the matching of the edges of the boards 23, which are not occupied by the projections 37, with the cavity of the U-shaped flange of the back board. By so doing, the whole structure of the parallelepiped 20 acquires a considerable rigidity and robustness.

FIG. 6 shows in detail the possibility of connecting, on a horizontal plane, two flats 21 through the matching elements 31, as a result of the fact that the matching elements 31 on an edge of a flat are staggered with respect to those of the adjoining edge of the second flat 21, and thus the matching elements 31 of the former flat occupy the free spaces between the matching elements 31 of the other flat, while leaving free, however, the cavities for housing the projections 37 of the sidewalls and/or the projections 48 of the supporting feet 25.

FIG. 2 clearly shows the possibility of horizontal coupling between the flats 21 to form more cavities in a shelf structure, whereas FIG. 6 clearly shows how the sidewall 22 could laterally confine the shelf structure since it can be inserted in the same type of joint without detracting from the cohesion and resistance of the structure. By observing in detail the several elements which compose the parallelepiped 20, and which have been described in the foregoing, it is clearly seen that all of them are shaped so as to be easily obtained by moulding. This permits the use of plastic materials and, in a preferred embodiment, the injection-moulding of shock-resistant polystyrene is provided, or of ABS resin. The minimum thickness of the several boards, in order that the parallelepiped has the necessary resistance features is 2 mms. approximately.

As outlined above, the flat 21 has, on the side away of the edge carrying the grooves 29 and 30, a first reinforced rib 28a which matches the front edge of the parallelepiped 20. This rib serves the purpose of stiffening the free front edge of the flat 21.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the parallelepiped 20 can be assembled with easy and quick operations which consist of uniting in a mortise and tenon manner the several component parts. It is also important to observe that, as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, several elements can be matched together in a mortise and tenon manner both horizontally and vertically, thus originating a shelf structure having a parallelepipedal cavity: this can be tapered at the base by the feet 25.

It is fitting to observe that the cohesion of the structure is ensured by the frictional forces originated in the numerous mortise and tenon couplings catered for.

What is claimed is:

1. A shelf structure composed of assemblable ele- Inents, characterized in that it comprises four elements which are coplanar two by two and concur towards a single edge, mutual engagement means being provided at said edge, said engagement of the four elements being capable of being dissolved, and further characterized in that two of said elements, perpendicular to one another, are a part of a parallelepiped which comprises two further identical elements which are in confronting relationship with respect to said two first elements, and said two confronting elements form, after the mutual engagement therebetween, a cavity which is closed at one end by a further rear element which is engaged according to a mortise and tenon connection with said four elements and still further characterized in that one of said two mutually perpendicular elements is a flat having edges which are associated to said perpendicular elements and which are equipped with a plurality of mortise and tenon joints placed at intervals along said edge, said joints having the shape of an H in vertical section and the shape of a double T in horizontal section, and being staggered along the two opposite edges through a distance which is exactly equal to the width of said double T section.

2. A shelf structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said elements are moulded in a plastic material.

3. A shelf structure according to claim 2, characterized in that said plastic material is shock-resistant polystyrene or a resin of the ABS type.

4. A shelf structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said flat has a plurality of ribs which project perpendicularly from one of its face, said ribs being parallel to theother two edges which have no mortise and tenon joints, one of said edges having two grooves which are adjacent and parallel to said ribs, the groove closer to the edge being open at the side from which the ribs project, the other groove being opened at the opposite side, and in which, in addition, the rib adjacent to the edge away of the groove-carrying edge has an L-shaped horizontal section.

5. A shelf structure according to claim 1 characterized in that the second of said two mutually perpendicular elements is a sidewall formed by two matched identical boards, each of said boards comprising a planar face, a plurality of ribs projecting from the opposite face and perpendicular to the edges of the board which are adapted to engage said mortise and tenon joints of said flat, said edges being fitted with a plurality of projections which are coplanar with respect to the the board and spaced apart from one another along the edge through distances which correspond to the thickness of the web portion of said double T section of said mortise and tenon joints, the face from which said ribs protrude having locking teeth which are parallel to said ribs of the board lying along the mutual resting plane of said plurality of projections.

6. A shelf structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said further rear element has ribs which are mutually perpendicular and parallel to the edges of said element, two opposite edges of said element being terminated by ribs projecting on planes parallel to the plane of said element and staggered with respect to one another through a distance which corresponds to the distance of said grooves on said edge of said flat, said ribs having such a thickness as to be lodged in said grooves, the other two edges of said rear element being terminated by a U- bent flange in whose cavity the edge of one of said sidewall-forming boards can be housed.

7. A shelf structure according to claim 1, characterized in that supporting feet are provided, which are adapted to engage said tenon and mortise joint carrying edges, said supporting feet comprising a planar surface from which projections jut which are adapted to be housed in the cavities defined between the lower portions of the H- shaped portions of said joints, said supporting feet being hollow and of elliptical outline in horizontal section, said supporting feet being adapted to be closed at their lowermost end by a block which carries ribs formed so as to engage the inner cavity of said feet.

8. A planar structural component for easily assemblable and dis-assemblable structures such as shelving and the like, said component having opposite edges comprising a plurality of mortise and tenon joints at intervals along the extent of said edges, said joints being H-shaped as seen in end view and double T-shaped as seen in plan view, said views being along mutually, perpendicular directions, said joints along one of said edges being staggered from those along the opposite one of said edges 2. distance equal to the width of the double T-shape, said end view being in a direction parallel to the direction of said opposite edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,588 6/1886 Lewis 312257X 389,684 9/ 1888 Beach 28720.92TG 2,689,159 9/1954 Schmitz et al 211-148X 3,102,501 9/1963 Sutherlan 211-148X 3,219,401 11/ 1965 Mapson 312-X 3,353,888 11/1967 Pritelli 312257 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,550 12/ 1897 Great Britain 312-263 RAMON S. BRITTS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

